From now on, you can share a ride in an electric car in Dresden, even if you don't know the passenger personally. This is made possible by the app "CleverShuttle", which already moves more than 15,000 users a month in Leipzig at at least 4o percent below taxi costs.
The principle behind it is simple: instead of driving each customer individually, the app and an intelligent logarithm determine how the routes can be driven "cleverly". Is there another passenger waiting on the way from the airport to the main station who wants to go to a business appointment in Hellerau? With clever route planning and only a few minutes diversions for the passengers, costs are saved considerably, which are passed on to the passenger in the form of lower fares. This is also an alternative for companies to reduce their mobility expenses without having to sacrifice comfort.
DRIVE ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS AND SAVE MONEY
Initially, the shared taxis will run from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Sundays to Thursdays and from 4 p.m. to 4 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays; the operating hours are to be expanded. As with other taxi apps such as "MyTaxi", a "CleverShuttle" can be ordered during this time. The highlight: through efficient route planning, electrified models can be used so that the taxi ride is not only cheaper, but also virtually emission-free. In the future, there could also be fewer vehicles on the roads, which would also be easier on the nerves thanks to less noise pollution.
For Dresden, as in Leipzig, the "CleverShuttle" company relies on the proven joint venture between "CleverShuttle" itself and the Madsack Group. The media company behind the "Dresdner Neuesten Nachrichten" is the majority owner of the Dresden business and is an early alternative to US providers from Germany. "CleverShuttle is considered one of the few ridesharing providers that operate in German cities with official permission and employ professional drivers on a permanent basis. The charging technology for the vehicles also comes from Dresden: in cooperation with DREWAG, the expandable basic charging stations for "Clevershuttle" were realised. The charging points are located at the City Centers, the central location of CleverShuttle.
DRESDEN IS CONSIDERED AN ATTRACTIVE LOCATION
The decision to move to Dresden for "CleverShuttle" was only logical for the start-up, which now has over 600 employees: "As one of Germany's most important research locations, Dresden stands for the networking of innovation and civil society. CleverShuttle as the first emission-free ridepooling service cannot be missing here," explains CEO Bruno Ginnuth to umschalten.de. The company clearly does not see itself as a competitor to traditional taxi providers. Rather, it is about offering an "attractive solution that convinces people of sustainable mobility and supports cities in addressing their traffic problems in a sustainable way," Ginnuth continues. Leipzig already shows that ridepooling can be green and profitable.
CleverShuttle could not confirm a concrete commitment to cooperate with the new "MOBIpunkte" in Dresden. However, the ridepooling company is already involved in the Hamburg model called "SwitchH" and is looking forward to the exchange with local actors in Dresden. The original start date in summer could not be kept due to complex approval procedures. However, the first clever shuttles will be on the road from 10 December 2018.
Cheaper on the road, good for the environment and fair to the drivers - "CleverShuttle" sounds like a convincing offer. We at umschalten.de will test how well it actually works in everyday life. What is your first impression of the ridepooling provider, is this the mobility of the future? We look forward to your comments!
